Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-05-27

iul word, uttered in tia dark places Of the
town, will bring back 10000 echoes from all
the thrones of heaven
Are there in this assemblage this morning
those who know by experience the tragedies
in the third watch of the nighti | am not
here 10 thrust you back with one hard word.
Take the bandage from your bruised soul,
and put on it the soothing salve of Christs
Gospel and of Gods compassion. Many have
come. see others coming to God this morning,
tired of the sinful life. Cry up the news to
heaven. Set all the bells ringing. Spread the
banquet under the arches. Let the crowned
heads come down and sit at the jubilee.
tell you there is more delight in heaven over
one man that gets reformed by the grace Of
God than over ninety and nine that never got
or the track.
could give you the history, in a minute, of
one of the best friends | ever had Outside
Of my own family, l never had better
friend He welcomed me to my home At the
West. Tie was of splendid personal appear
ance, but he had an ardoT of soul and
warmth of affection that made me love him
like a brother. | saw men coming out of the
saloons and gambling hells, and they sur
rounded my friend, and they took him
and | saw him going down, and had a fair
talk with him-for ! never yet saw man
you could not talk with on the subject of his
habits if you talked with him in the right way.
| said to him: why don't you give up
your bad habits and become a Christianp l
remember now inst how he looked leaning
over his counter, as he replied: al wish
could. OH sir should like to be a Christian,
but | have gone SO far astray | can't get
back"
So the time went on. After while the
day of sickness came. was summoned to
his sick-bed. | fastened 1t took me but
very few moments to get there. | was sur
priSed as | went in. l saw him in his ordi-
nary dress, fully dressed, lying on top of the
bed. | gave him my hand, and he seized it
convulsively, and said: ooh, how glad | am
to see you'll Sit down theren sat down
and he said: "Mr. Talmage, just where you
sit now my mother sat last night. She has
been dead twenty years. Now, | don't want
you TO think am out of my mind, or that am
superstitious but, sir, she sat there last night
just as certainly as you sit there now-the
same cap and apron and spectacles, TWAS my
old mother-she sat there Then he turned
to his wife, and said: 81 wish you would take
these strings off the bed; somebody is wrap
ping strings around me all the time | wish
you would stop that annoyance" She said:
There is nothing here" Then | saw|t was
delirium.
He said: "Just where you sit now my
mother sat- and she said: Roswell, l wish
you would do better-I wish you would do
better l said: Mother, wish / could do
better; / try to do better but ] can't.
Mother, you used to help me; why can't you
help me nowF And, sir, got out of bed, for
it was reality, and | went to her, and threw
my arms around her neck, and | said:
Mother, will do better, but you must help;
/ can't do this Alone" | knelt down and
prayed. That night his soul went to the
Lord that made it.
Arrangements were made for the obsequies
The question was raised whether they should
bring him to the church Somebody said
"You cannot bring such disSolute man as
that into the church, l said: "You will
bring him in church; he stood by me when he
was alive, and | will stand by him when he
is dead. Bring him. AS l stood in the
pulpit and saw them carrying the body up
the aisle, l felt as if / could weep tears of
blood.
On one side of the pulpit sat his little child
of eight years, sweet, beautiful little girl
that | have seen him hug convulsively in his
better moments. He put on her all Jewels, all
diamonds, and gave her all pictures and toys,
and then he would go away as if bounded by
an evil spirit, to his cups and the house of
shame-a fool to the correction of the stocks.
She looked up wonderingly She knew not
what it all meant. She was not old enough
to understand the sorrow of an orphan child
On the other side of the pulpit sat the men
who had ruined him; they were the men who
had poured the NORWOOD into the orphans
cup; they were the men who had bound him
hand and foot. / knew them. How did they
seem to feel' Did they weep! No. Did they
say: "What pity that so generous man
should be destroyed" No. Did they sigh re-
pentingly over what they had donef No; they
sat there looking as vultures look at the car
cass of lamb whose heart they have ripped
out. So they sat and looked at
the coffin lid and l told them the
Judgment of God upon those who had de-
Stroyed their fellows. Did they reformi
was told they were in the places Of iniquity
that night after my friend was laid in Oak
wood Cemetery, and they blasphemed, and
| they drank. Oh how merciless men are, espe-
cially after they have destroyed you! Do
not look to men for comfort and help Look
to God
But there Is a man who won't reform. He
says: 81 won't reform" Well, then, how
many acts are there in tragedy! believe
| five.
Act the first Of the tragedy: A young
man starting off from home. Parents and
sisters weeping to have him go. Wagon
rising over the hill. Farewell kiss flung
back Ring the bell and let the curtain fall
Act the second: The marriage altar. Full
organ. Bright lights Long white veil
trailing through the aisle, Prayer and
congratuation, and exclamation of "How
well she loolis"
ACb bUt JUlIu' n WOuldu "dlGlIlS IOt
staggering steps Old garments stuck into the
broken window-pane. Marks of hardship on
the face. The biting of the nails of boodless
fingers, Neglect, and cruelty, and despair
Ring the bell and let the curtain drop.
Act the fourth: Three graves in a dark
place-grav of the child that died for lack of
medicine, grave of the wife that died Of a
broken heart, grave of the man that died of
dissipation. OH what blasted heath with
three gravesl Plenty of weeds, but no flow
slS. Ring the bell and let the curtain drop.
Act the ffth A destroyed souls eternity
No light. No music. No hope Anguish
coiling its serpents around the heart. Black
ness of darkness forever
But cannot look any longer. Wool woel
] close my eyes TO this last act of the tragedy.
Quick Quick Ring the bell and let the curtain
drop. "Rejoce, Oh young man! in thy
youth, and let thy heart rejoice in the days
of thy youth; but know thou that for all
these things God will bring you into iudg-
ment THERE'S a way that seemeth right to
man, but the end thereof is death"
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